Course curriculum

  • 1

    Induction

    • A warm welcome from Kate

    • Welcome info

    • Induction to the self-study platform

    • Q&A and Discussion Forum

    • Course Materials for September 2024 (Fridays with Kate & Anita)

    • Course Materials for September 2024 (Sundays with Alison and Phiona)

    • e-portfolio guidance

    • Enrichment: Movement and breath

  • 2

    An introduction to breathwork

    • Intro.

    • The benefits of breathwork (1.2)

    • Breath awareness, natural breath and conscious breathing

    • Nose v's mouth breathing

    • Dynamic breathing & the Buteyko method & where they fit with breath coach training

    • Contra-indications, safety and ethics (1.1 & 1.3)
  • 3

    Breath awareness

    • Breath awareness exercise and teaching tips (6.4)

    • Breathwork personal practice

    • Enrichment: Walking breath and meditation
  • 4

    The anatomy of the breath

    • The respiratory system

    • Lung Volume

    • Breathing muscles (2.1)

    • The rib cage (2.1)

    • 3 dimensions of the breath (2.1)

    • Guided exploration of the breath meditation

    • Homework

    • Enrichment: Stretches to improve lung capacity
  • 5

    Preparing for breathwork (1.1)

    • Setting up for breath practices: nose, posture, eyes

    • Introducing preparation exercises

    • Grounding

    • Alignment and lengthening

    • Tension and release

    • Movement and breath

    • Standing movement and breath

    • Stretching sequence - seated & standing version (stretching the breathing muscles)

    • Stretching sequence - floor & standing version (stretching the breathing muscles)

    • Body scan

    • Awareness Exercise

    • Ending a breath practice
  • 6

    The nervous system & belly breathing

    • The nervous system (2.2)

    • Belly breathing

    • Rock and roll

    • The vagus nerve

    • Polyvagal theory

    • Top-down and bottom-up processing

    • An exercise
  • 7

    Diaphragmatic Training

    • Diaphragmatic training - an introduction

    • The diaphragm

    • Diaphragmatic training video part 1

    • Diaphragmatic training video part 2

    • 30-min guided diaphragmatic training session

    • Coherent breathing

    • Stimulating the diaphragm

    • Warming up the diaphragm
  • 8

    Criteria 2.1, 2.2 & 5.2 Q&A

    • Link to questionnaire

    • Breath awareness script homework -(for 2nd workshop) 6.4
  • 9

    Breathwork for calming - Part 1 (6.1)

    • Stress response and calming breaths

    • Minority Stress Theory

    • Turning the focus to the out breath

    • Extended exhales script

    • Straw breathing

    • Humming bee breath

    • More on humming

    • A short video on how the heart slows and quickens on the inhale and exhale
  • 10

    Breathwork for calming, meditation & sleep - Part 2 (6.1)

    • 7 / 11 breath - stress release

    • Ujjayi breath (ocean breath) - meditative, calms the mind

    • 4-7-8 breathing - supports sleep

    • Counting backwards on exhales - tip for sleep

    • Legs up the wall - restorative

    • Supporting a good nights sleep

    • Homework
  • 11

    Enrichment: Brain waves

    • Brainwaves

    • In-breath holds - why they can enhance relaxation
  • 12

    The role of a Breath Coach

    • What does it mean to be a coach?

    • Role of Breath Coach

    • Power and oppression wheel

    • Working within limitations of role

    • Working with risk
  • 13

    Breathwork for Balancing: Coherent Breathing: 6.3 (part 1)

    • Introduction to coherent breathing

    • Coherent breathing practice

    • What is coherent breathing?
  • 14

    Breathwork for balancing - Part 1 cont. (6.3)

    • Box breathing

    • 1:1 breathing

    • 3-part breath (full yogic breath)
  • 15

    Breathwork for balancing - Part 2 (6.3)

    • 3-part breath - teaching tips and alternatives

    • Hand breathing for children

    • Nadi Shodhana Pranayama - the fundamentals

    • Nadi Shodhana Pranayama - Alternate nostril breathing

    • Nadi Shodhana Pranayama - alternate nostril breathing with variations
  • 16

    Breathing patterns and dysfunctions (3.1)

    • Breathing Dysfunctions - Part one

    • Breathing Dysfunctions - Part two

    • Breathing Dysfunctions - Part three

    • Observing breathing patterns (3.1)

    • Evenly hovering attention

    • Q&A describing a range of breathing dysfunctions (3.1)
  • 17

    The breath for mental health

    • Breathwork for trauma and common mental health/wellbeing concerns (4.3)

    • What about more dynamic forms of breathwork for emotional & trauma release?

    • Research Report on breathwork for enhanced mood & reduction of physiological arousal
  • 18

    Enrichment Somatic Resources

    • Enrichment: Body tapping

    • Enrichment: Bilateral movement / cross crawl

    • Enrichment : Somatic resource: Hand on heart
  • 19

    Energising breaths (6.2)

    • Instant booster

    • Energiser Bunny breath

    • Superhero breath

    • Kapalbhati Pranayama (breath of fire)

    • Breath of Joy
  • 20

    Natural impulses

    • sighing and yawning

    • Sighing for autonomic regulation
  • 21

    Co2 and the breath

    • Carbon Dioxide and breath retention

    • End of course - congratulations!

    • Books
  • 22

    Additional breaths

    • cooling breath

    • Straw breath extended version
  • 23

    Enrichment

    • Chapter: Why Cats Purr: Resistance breathing (Brown & Gerbarg, 2012, The Healing Power of the breath)

    • The Psoas muscle

    • Arielle Schwartz - Conscious breathing and the vagus nerve

    • A fun youtube clip - coffee, whisky and water breath

    • Enrichment: Yoga Nidra for deep relaxation
  • 24

    Enrichment: Trauma videos

    • Relational Trauma

    • Developmental Trauma

    • Transgenerational Trauma

    • Brain structures in processing trauma